Transferring ashore in Semisopochnoi

OK, it has finally happened! I was seriously beginning to doubt the possibility .... We're sitting in salt-and-pepper bight, off the east coast of Semisopochnoi. Earlier today (maybe around 5:30pm?) we offloaded six huts, 30 batteries, a crate of solar panels, cement, and other various implements of desctruction.

The day started with a fast and furious 4-wheeler ride up to Amchitka's site, where I was to help Paski and Cyrus bolt down solar panels into the solar panel farm. Almost as soon as we got there, the pilot radioed in that the crossing was calm. At that point, I continued to try to bolt down the crossmembers for the farm, while Paskie and Cy gathered their stuff. The new plan?

All hands down to the boat. We're going to get to Semi, and then offload absolutely everything that's required for the island, while there's good weather. The crossing was unevenful; the sun was shining, and I was even able to hang out on deck behind the wheelhouse and catch some sun. Of course, the wind was very cold, so I did so in my mustang survival suit. Less chance of skin cancer that way, anyway.

The process of offloading went fantastically well. It only took us about an hour and 15 to shuttle off something like 12 loads. The wind in the bay was (is) still whipping through at a respectable speed, but Bill made it look like sling-loading was effortless. Anthony was in charge of hooking up the loads to the helicopter, while chief operated the sling, and the rest of us rigged huts and put batteries/cement into bags.

Tomorrow morning, we'll break into perhaps three groups to set up sites. Guy has already reconnaissanced one site, which John and I will travel to in the morning. He'll be doing more reconnaissance while everyone else digs/pours/wires/drills the other sites. I wonder, if the weather is nice to us, will we be able to do almost all of Semi tomorrow? Dare to dream...

Oh, and today we finally got a little recreation in. Several fishinglines were dropped from the boat, though only Max cought something -- only to loose it. (100 lbs?) Crab pot is still on the boat waiting for launch.